Came here after the Durham Farmers Market with a friend and wow this place was a surprise. …read more I went with the grain bowl and honestly it is one of the best I have had in downtown Durham. It is built on quinoa and rice with black beans and kale, then layered with corn salsa, tomato cortido, guacamole, and a creamy acevichado style sauce that pulls everything together. It is finished with a crunchy mix of pepitas, nuts, and grains. The balance is quite ideal in my view. My friend had the rotisserie chicken with two sides, kale and slaw, and it was just as impressive. Crispy skin, juicy inside, and really clean flavors. Simple food done right and GF friendly. Everything felt thoughtfully prepared. Prices land right where you would expect for the quality, roughly 16 to 21 dollars depending on what you order, and it feels worth it. My bowl plus side of dark chicken was plenty. A few notes. Parking is what you would expect for downtown, so plan accordingly. Service was solid and friendly, but nothing that stood out. The vibe inside is festive and relaxed, bright and open, and just a fun place to hang out for lunch. Porbably not a special occasion. I also suspect it could get loud when full. This is definitely going into my regular rotation. That grain bowl is going to be hard to pass up next time, so instead of replacing it I will probably just add a side or an empanada and start working my way through the rest of the menu.

This place was amazing. We tried both the brisket and chicken sandwich, and they did not…read moredisappoint. We also shared a potato empanada that was recommended by another customer, which was also fantastic. The yuca fries and plantains were delicious. You also get a large amount of food for the price, definitely left us feeling satiated. Staff was very friendly, we will be back!

I had my hopes high up and come to find out the owner is from South America but the empanadas are…read moreunlike any I had in Chile, Argentina or Peru Place looks dated and in need of remodeling to make it look clean and inviting, sorry just not my type of empanadas, the filling doesn't show top ingredients and I understand she has to make a buck but I rather go for high end flavor and presentation Not going back. They sell the frozen empanadas but I can see myself eating the same thing after two weeks in the freezer

I actually visited this place before months ago, but was called away before I was able to order any…read morefood. So today I took the opportunity to drop in to try a couple of selections that I have been wondering about. I give them an A+ for customer service. The waitress and waiting staff were very polite and eager to accommodate dear customers in every way. I saw the cook come out from behind the kitchen and greet. I love the customers and checking in to make sure that everyone was satisfied with their meals. I ordered a sweet corn Arepa as well as the pork & cheese Pupusa. They were quite excellent to my taste buds, although I had never experienced having them before. They even provided me with a nice selection of spicy condiments that I thoroughly enjoyed as well...heyyy, what can I say...I'm a spicy kind of fellow, ya know. (Smiles) The restaurant is spacious with an adjoining room off to the side. Very clean with a very interesting mural hand painted on the wall. I considered it really nice artwork. I enjoyed my time there. I surmised from observing the customers responses; the food seem to be pretty authentic, judging from their conversations with the chef.

Food was amazing! Macaroni and cheese were perfect. The collards great as well. The service was…read moregreat! Met the owner and he was very nice and let us sample a few items before our purchase. The ambiance was nice. They have outdoor seating.

We visited for lunch on a beautiful spring weekday. The place was hopping, both inside and out. The…read moremusic was great, the ambience was fast-casual. I love how they had a lot of drink options, including fountain drinks, and special lemonades. We got here on the late side for lunch, and found there to be several different options for ordering. You could wait in line and order with a cashier, you could do a self service kiosk, or you could order from a QR code at a table. We ended up grabbing a table and opting to do it with a QR code. Everything was very clear, and I like that they showed what was popular immediately. I opted for a Boricua Soul Bowl, which I'd sampled during a food tour a few years back- then I tried it with chicken, so today I opted for shrimp. I feel like you really should go with pork since that's the default, and a mainstay of Puerto Rican cuisine and soul food, but alas I have an aversion to pork so I can't. I was also intrigued by the jackfruit option- there's something for everyone! My husband went for a platter with pork, which he said was delicious and rich. The Mac and cheese was amazing, and the collards were to DIE FOR! They have four house made sauces, which were a very fun way to add different flavors (I doused mine in Guava!). Since I've now been, I understand that there are many different methods of ordering, but I'm not sure I understand if there's a benefit or staff preference to one over another. I think one thing I might do in the future is order online (if you're using Toast Tab anyway, might as well order in advance) and then sit outside after I arrive. It took about 30 minutes to get our food, which probably means everything is made to order and fresh (as opposed to sitting around) so that's great, but I was STARVING by the time we got our food. Will definitely be back!

| Overview + Good…read morevariety of empanada fillings to choose from with gluten free options + Texture of empanadas is fine - Size of empanada is ridiculously small - Slow & unfriendly customer service - Makus mostly serves empanadas (the rest of its menu are boring) - Not comfortable ambiance | Review After 3 years, I decided to give Makus another chance. I went to Makus in New Hope Commons, Durham in a Tuesday afternoon, and when I entered its lackluster ambiance with cheap-looking uncomfortable high chairs, I was surprised that there's not a single employee in the front. I saw about 2 of them in the back, seemingly preparing the empanadas. I was ready to order but no one was there to accept my order. I almost left Makus until I saw the bell on the concession with a notice saying, "NEED HELP? RING ME PLEASE!" I rang the bell once, no one came; I rang twice, finally, an employee! I ordered 2 beef empanadas & 1 ham & cheese empanada for a total of almost $13. There was only 1 customer before me, waiting for her order when I went. While I was waiting, the employee who was smoking earlier outside came in and just ignored me as he returned back to work in the back. At around 15 min. mark of waiting, an employee went to the front, holding a plastic with a small takeout box inside. I stood up and asked if my order was ready, the woman just nodded without saying a word, just cold and expressionless. Finally, after about 20 minutes of waiting just for 3 empanadas, the same woman handed me the plastic with my order. I thought they were busy preparing empanadas in the back. Why'd it take so long just to get 3 empanadas ready? Out of all the empanadas my girl & I have tried: Filipino-style, Ilocos-style & El Salvadorian style in the Sabor restaurant nearby, the empanadas in Makus are the smallest. Each empanada cost about $4 (a dozen for $47 - seriously, who would buy a dozen of these?). I'd be fine with this size if the empanadas are gourmet quality with astonishing fillings and flavors, but the taste was alright - nothing special, and definitely not worth $4 in our book. The good part was that the empanadas were not doughy, so the texture was fine. The sauce that came with it was alright, and the 1 small cup is just fine for 3 tiny empanadas. When I came home to eat the 3 empanadas with my girl, she asked me why I returned to Makus after we were disappointed in our first visit a few years ago. I said that I wanted to give it another chance. Now, I deeply regret this decision. | Overall Score: 1.2/5

Bottom line: This Durham location of Makus Empanadas provide tasty choices I enjoy for delivery…read morelately. The chicken filling and sweet corn filling are my two go-to varieties of these baked empanadas, each hitting the spot and delicious. I am a fan! The Deets: I've had the chance to enjoy meals from a few of the NC Triangle locations of Makus Empanadas. With this Durham location, I mainly utilize delivery to enjoy their empanadas lately. Even with them not being just around the corner from me, they arrive fairly warm and withstand the trip well. One of the draws for me in getting Makus Empanadas are they appear to be baked and not fried (don't get me wrong, I like fried empanadas as well!) and honestly they remind me of mini-versions of my grandmother's homemade fruit turnovers in appearance (a good thing). I usually order these light pockets of tasty goodness with their chicken filling or their sweet corn filling version. I find both pretty good, they hit the spot with chicken giving flavorful and needed protein with not being overly spicy while the sweet corn version being a delicious but not so heavy choice. They even identify which are each variety by initials baked in at the edge of the crust, pretty cool and no guessing. I am a fan and I will continue to keep this location of Makus Empanadas in my delivery meal rotation.

I was a bit disappointed with Kokí. We came on a Thursday for lunch because the empanadas looked so…read moregood in the post, but they were out of almost every flavor except for cheese and a mushrooms one or something like that. If we would have had more time, we would have left and went somewhere else. My fiancé and I actually saw two groups (7 people total) leave the restaurant after speaking with the people at the register. We ended up getting the Señor Iglesias Chicken Sandwich, which was good but very messy. The chicken isn't a patty and the bun isn't solid enough to hold the sandwich together so the tomato and chicken strips were constantly falling out. The Spanglish Cuban was very meaty and good as well. Not my type of sandwich but that's what I got from the bite I did have and my fiancé loved it. The pinto beans and steamed white rice were good. I probably won't return out of fear that I might waste time going there because if you don't have the empanadas during your lunch rush, when would you have it.

Found Koki on TGTG and decided to try it out! For ~$6, I got two bowls filled with pulled chicken,…read moreblack beans, salad mix, and white rice. Nothing mind blowing, but it was still a great deal. Service was fast (took about 10 minutes after arrival) and friendly. Ambiance was nice, casual. There's nearby parking in City of Durham garages after 7pm or on weekends. 9/10 would recommend, at least through TGTG!

Food is a solid 4 star, especially when considering the price. Service was 2 star but I chose to…read morestill aware 4 star for the food. This is located in a hospital cafeteria after all. I ordered the SHREDDED BEEF AREPA which also comes with plantains, cheese and beans inside. I chose garlic sauce and it was superb on the arepa! Very delicious and I suspect the arepa samdwiches are gluten free for those intolerant, but I didn't ask. The TORTILLA CHIPS that come with the meal are good, and suspect they make them in-house. The SERVICE was horrible. Guy behind counter told me the soda machine only had diet soda, which was what I wanted anyway. Out of curiosity I asked if it was hospital policy to exclude sugar soda or if the machine was just out of sugar syrups. He responded "don't know" in a "don't care" attitude. I went to fill my cup and the machine didn't serve ice either! This place could really help people in the hospital by smiling and showing they care about the customer. Most eating here in the hospital cafeteria are carrying the weight of poor health on their shoulders, whether their own or a loved one. It's a hospital cafeteria so its a place to sit down, and could be a good break from sitting in a loved ones patient room. It's not a restaurant that one would come to if not in the hospital.

It's harder to find arepas than it should be. There's just something about grilling corn that makes…read moreit irresistable. What's notable about this local chain is its extensive options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diners. The default arepa apparently has some dairy and gluten in it, but options for getting one to suit a vegan or gluten-free diet are there. The filling options for an arepa are customizable and numerous, with a range of flavors and nutritional profiles. My takeout order was ready speedily. Oddly, they gave me an extra arepa, which was unlabeled except for saying that it was a gift. It didn't seem to be vegetarian, so I didn't eat it. I appreciate the sentiment, but they might want to think about at least making it clearer what's going on.

I decided to visit this place for lunch on a Sunday, i was craving some pupusas, this place was…read morepacked so i was expecting a good food. I had the 3 pupusas meal (10 dollar value and they are good size) and chose to do three different ones, zucchini with cheese was pretty good, you can't go wrong with the cheese one, the chicharron (pork skin) one wasn't that good, i think overall all of them needed a little bit of more seasoning. The mango agua fresca tasted more like water than mango, but the orchata was very good. I would have given them a 4 star but because of the agua and the seasoning I'm doing 3 stars, I do recommend the place and I would come back for sure. As always this is my honest and personal opinion.

Delicious pupusas. You can't go wrong with any of them. My favorites are: cheese, squash and…read morecheese with beans. All are made to order and piping hot with a side of cool slaw. Chefs kiss!

We walked in for the 99¢ kids meal on Wednesday special and were very excited to see how friendly…read morethe staff is. They are super friendly with the kids and try to look for the best way to save you some money bundling things together. The food is delicious and fresh! Thanks so much! The restaurant is very clean and in a great location.

I came for lunch on a Wednesday and was warmly greeted when I entered. The service is very friendly…read moreand quick. I ordered a Sabor Especial Burrito with chorizo, and they definitely pack the chorizo with a good amount of spice, which I appreciate. The burrito also had rice, beans, lettuce, sour cream, pico, and guacamole. Good flavors and generous portions. It was very filling and reasonably priced for the size of the burrito. That's all I had for lunch and was very satisfied with the amount. It is a great location near the Southpoint area and parking was easy to find. There was plenty of indoor seating, the bathroom was clean, and the ambiance is very casual with TVs playing in the background. It's pretty kid- and family-friendly. Other items on the menu sounded interesting, so I hope to return and try more items on the menu.

Best Cubano and yucca frites I've ever had. I live in Raleigh and eagerly anticipate seeing that…read moregreen truck in the area! The secret to the Cubano is their bread. You just can't replicate it. It's got a nice crust without being dry and still so soft and pillowy. The yucca frites are light and cooked thoroughly. The cilantro sauce for the yucca is OMG ahhmazing! I really like the beef empanadas as they are seasoned well. My goodness I just love these people so much! I promise this is not a paid endorsement and I'm not a friend, I just really love their food!

This is me and my husband's most favorite food truck. Food staff and everything. We've not EVER had…read morebad food or a bad experience. We love them. Wherever they come close I'm there eating really good. No food truck can top Qspresso!!

Okay, We're from New Orleans so when we see a "New Orleans style" restaurant, we always question…read morethe authenticity of the claim. In the case of Succotash we feel we have found the holy grail... Friendly, knowledgeable waitstaff? check Homey and a little funky atmosphere? check cool soundtrack? check BUT what about the food? We first came for brunch... I had the 'Brisket and Grits'. It was a very tender brisket with cheesy, garlicky grits, scallions with fried egg. The best part? They drizzle some of the brisket gravy over the grits... Oh man this was delish. We got talking about South Louisiana food with our server and he told us they bring in Leidenheimers french bread from New Orleans for their po-boy's. What's the big deal? ...I'll tell you! The bakery was founded in 1896 and it is the ONLY bread that marks a true po-boy to New Orleans natives. Why? Because of it's unique texture. Their loaves have a pillowy soft interior and a crunchy crust that isn't found in most french breads. It's the gold standard for po-boys. So today, I came back to Succotash for an Oyster po-boy. And the Verdict? Five stars mon ami! Leidenheimers bread with a very generous amount of perfectly fried oysters. ...I like mine simple with just lettuce, tomato and a little hot sauce. This was I can honestly say, the very best oyster po-boy I have found outside of NOLA. ... so yeah, I've found a new home... thanks and a tip o' the hat to Chef Juan DiGiulio and the great staff he has brought together!

Very nice atmosphere, well thought out design inside and out. Very friendly and efficient service…read more I see where they won the best southern food in Durham from Indy in 2025. While the food was good, it didn't knock my socks off. And they're definitely more of a creole restaurant than a southern one. There are better cajun/Creole restaurants in the RTP area. I was going to order the creole gumbo, but found out when I came in that it was a seafood gumbo today not their regular one. Oh well. So I ordered jambalaya with a side of red beans and rice. Both were good but a little dry and I've had better nearby. The fresh catch of the Day was Amber Jack, and I love that fish, so maybe I should've ordered that in a Poboy. Might come back to try some of their other offerings.